Germany’s Military Manual (1992), referring, however, to Article 55(2) of the 1977 Additional Protocol I, provides: “It is expressly prohibited by agreement to make reprisals against: … objects indispensable to the survival of the civilian population”.

Germany, Humanitarian Law in Armed Conflicts – Manual, DSK VV207320067, edited by The Federal Ministry of Defence of the Federal Republic of Germany, VR II 3, August 1992, English translation of ZDv 15/2,HumanitäresVölkerrecht in bewaffnetenKonflikten – Handbuch, August 1992, § 479.

Germany’s IHL Manual (1996) provides: “Reprisals are expressly prohibited against … objects indispensable to the survival of the civilian population”.

In 1990, in a parliamentary debate on the ratification of the 1977 Additional Protocols, a member of the German Parliament called the prohibition of reprisals as contained in the Additional Protocol I “newly introduced rules”.

Germany, Lower House of Parliament, Speech by Günter Verheugen, Member of Parliament, 20 September 1990, Plenarprotokoll 11/226, p. 17919.

Upon ratification of the 1977 Additional Protocol I, Germany declared:

The Federal Republic of Germany will react against serious and systematic violations of the obligations imposed by Additional Protocol I … with all means admissible under international law in order to prevent any further violation.

Germany, Declarations made upon ratification of the 1977 Additional Protocol I, 14 February 1991, § 6.